


Tis the Season to Fall For Your Best Friend

by monkeydra



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M, unrequited but only for now!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-12-02
Updated: 2011-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-26 19:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monkeydra/pseuds/monkeydra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So this was originally part of a series of one shots, but then I realized I'm not going to write the other one shots but I might want to continue this one</p>
    </blockquote>





	Tis the Season to Fall For Your Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

> So this was originally part of a series of one shots, but then I realized I'm not going to write the other one shots but I might want to continue this one

Bobby was trying to decide with Kitty and Rogue if they wanted to go to the mall and attempt Christmas shopping or go to stores separate from the mall. Kitty thought going to the mall would be fun; Rogue thought they’d end up trampled. They were undecided until Kitty pointed out that if they went to individual stores they’d all be more tired and probably end up giving out extremely similar gifts.

“Wait, where’s John?”

Kitty and Rogue grimaced.

“He said he doesn’t want to come,” Kitty said, “and I don’t want to try and convince him while he’s upset, _again_.” She shuddered at the memory. She and Rogue started walking and met up with Colossus at the door. They appeared to be trying to convince him to go with them. By the time both he and Jubilee agreed to go with, they realized Bobby hadn’t moved.

“Are you coming Bobby?”

Bobby’s head snapped up at his girlfriend’s voice.

“You guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up later.”

Rogue gave him a look while Kitty and Jubilee shrugged before they all headed out. He was heading up the stairs the minute they left to the room he shared with John.

When he walked in, John was looking out the window, his leg dangling out of it and clicking his lighter. If he knew Bobby was in the room he wasn’t saying anything. He quietly closed the door behind him and moved closer.

When he was reaching out to let John know he was there, just before his hand touched John’s shoulder, he got a tired sounding, “What do you want, Iceman?” Bobby took his hand back.

“Just wanted to know why you didn’t want to come Christmas shopping with us,” he replied with a shrug. He kept his voice soft, knowing when John was in a bad mood everything would be interpreted like an accusation or attack if the person talking to him wasn’t careful. John turned his head towards him, dark eyes appraising him slowly. For once his hair wasn’t pushed back, a lock falling over his eyes.

After a minute he turned his gaze back out the window and said, “None of your damn business.” His lighter kept clicking instead of staying open and ready for an attack, though, so Bobby knew John wasn’t upset at him. He had learned to read the little things about him. It helped reduce their fights.

“Okay.” Bobby walked over to his bed.  He didn’t specify how much later before he met everyone, and he suddenly and for some inexplicable reason wanted John to go with him. If John knew he was thinking that he’d probably say it was because he’s a brat.

“Shouldn’t you be going shopping?”

“I can go later.”

John sighed, and Bobby was pretty sure he was rolling his eyes.

He wanted to know why John was against going shopping, though. He knew it wasn’t money. The Professor gave them all an allowance, of sorts, and John only spent his on cigarettes and the few books he couldn’t find in the school library. He didn’t even leave the school that often, even to sneak out, contrary to popular belief. Also contrary to popular belief, John always had a reason for doing things. Whether it was a good reason or not is up for debate, but it was still there.

They sat in relative silence for a few minutes, nothing but the clicking of John’s lighter until Bobby moved so he was laying on his side, facing John.

“What do you want for Christmas?”

“You to leave me alone,” he replied immediately. Bobby knew he didn’t mean it. His shoulders lacked the tenseness they usually had when John was trying to hurt someone, and the words were said in the same tired way as earlier.

John’s shoulders dropped in exasperation when there was no response but the feel of Bobby’s eyes on the back of his head. He swung his leg back into the room and walked to his bed. He sat on the edge facing Bobby and shot him another considering look.

“What do you want, Bobby?”

“I want to know why you don’t want to go shopping with us.” Bobby knew from experience that when John caught someone trying to figure him out and asked directly, it was best to be honest. He didn’t enjoy being examined and stared at like a zoo exhibit. Also, John had used his first name. That was a pretty good indicator he hadn’t fooled anyone. He seemed slightly annoyed at his answer, but the fact that he wasn’t throwing fireballs was promising.

“Why is this such a big deal?”

Bobby only shrugged in reply, which looked kind of awkward lying down. In the back of his mind, Bobby was thankful the John let him get away with more. If anyone else had still been pushing the subject there would’ve been fire and brimstone, and lots of it.

He sounded so tired when he said it, though. John never sounded tired.

“Go and do your shopping, Iceman,” he said and lay down with his back to him.

“Only if you go with me.”

“No.”

“Do you dislike Christmas?” Bobby knew there was plenty about John’s life that was still a mystery to him.

“No I do not dislike Christmas.”

“Then what is it?”

John let out a growl frustration and managed to turn away from Bobby even more. He stood and made his way to John’s bed and sat next to him, his hand resting propping him up, close enough to feel the heat John gave off almost like a furnace but not enough to touch. John glared up at him.

Bobby didn’t understand why John wasn’t behaving like he normally did. By now, even Bobby would be sporting a few bruises, physical and emotional, from pushing John. The only times he behaved like this were when he was confused. John hated being confused. Bobby had to phrase this carefully or John’s mood would explode.

“What are people doing that you think is idiotic?”

From the slight quirk of John’s lips, he knew he had been seen through, again. John turned over so he was looking up at Bobby, though, so he was probably more amused than annoyed. He briefly wondered why he let Bobby do what he would’ve called manipulation coming from anyone else.

“Just go--”

“Nope.” He grinned when he said it causing John to roll his eyes at him before sighing indulgently. He must’ve been really confused if he was willing to share with Bobby.

“It’s just,” he started, brow furrowing before he continued, “people seem so focused on stuff,” he finished, gesturing with his lighter—thankfully—closed. Bobby waited for him to elaborate, knowing he would on his own. “Isn’t Christmas supposed to be,—I don’t know—about family, and being charitable and all that crap?”

The words sounded angry, but Bobby knew John was horribly nervous. Opening up to Bobby like this had just given him the power to poke an enormous hole in his tough guy façade that he used to defend himself.

“People seem so focused on things. I don’t--” he cut himself off. He was probably going to say he doesn’t get it.

“Christmas definitely seems more commercial,” Bobby agreed. Of the few things he did know about John, he knew his family life hadn’t been the best, so things like this escaped him. “I think people buy into it because of family, though.”

John was looking at him curiously now, his expression for once unguarded and looking at Bobby like he had all the answers. He wondered if John had ever looked at anyone else like that.

“People buy into the commercialism because they’re thinking that this way, they can get something special for someone they love. They focus so hard on the object it comes off superficial, but I think underneath it all people are just trying to make someone they care about happy.”

A look of pain flashed over John’s features, his eyes going distant for a minute and it was gone. Bobby felt a sting through his heart for the same amount of time.

“Okay,” he nodded. He didn’t turn away though. He sat up instead, their faces close while John looked down, his hair and the sideways angle hiding his expression from Bobby. For some reason, Bobby’s heart was hammering in his chest at their proximity, heat creeping up his face.

When John turned to look at him, Bobby realized with a start he wanted to kiss him. His eyes widened in shock and he darted from the bed.

“Well, I’d better catch up to everyone else!” he said in a rush. “See you later, Johnny,” he called on his way out the door, his voice embarrassingly high.

He missed John’s eyes widening and the bitter chuckle before he lay back down and curled into a ball.


End file.
